Catching the Stars

Artist’s Statement: This acrylic painting depicts a hand holding a jar with a galaxy of stars inside. There are two ways to view this piece. The first is that the hand is trapping the stars in a jar, and that this piece symbolizes humanity’s desire to capture and conquer nature instead of finding meaning in the beauty of the natural world. However, you can also view this painting in another “light”: The hand is not capturing the stars, but rather releasing them back into the sky, and the painting symbolizes the love humanity has for nature and its desire to reconnect with and heal the Earth. The meaning of this piece is therefore not a statement by the creator, but a reflection of the opinions of you, the viewer. This piece is holding a mirror to display the way you view humanity’s relationship with the world.